Hotel Diana, Ravenna, Italy

Hotel Diana Reviews...

When you first arrive in the narrow one-way street, the first sight of the Hotel Diana may not look too impressive. But as it quite common in Italy, all the effort goes on what is inside, and the public façade is less important than we in Britain would expect. Not that it looks terrible from outside, however, it just doesn’t do justice to the very chic reception area on the other side of the doors.
The eighteenth century building lends itself well to its use as a hotel, and its location just a few minutes walk from the city centre makes it particularly convenient. On the ground floor is a pleasant lounge area, with comfortable seating and a polished marble floor. A small bar next to the reception offers a friendly place to relax for a while, and the light, airy, breakfast room is both spacious and well designed. The frosted glass roof allows in ample light, while still masking the surrounding suburban buildings, and the plant covered trellises add to the terrace feel.
Breakfast itself is excellent, with a mouth-watering fresh buffet style spread, and friendly attentive service. The food couldn’t be faulted, and catered for all tastes.
The Hotel Diana offers a choice of rooms, in either Classic, Superior, or Executive ranges. All are very well appointed, with a bright modern design that magnificently disguises the age of building. Even the lowest grades exceed what you would expect of a three-star establishment. All have en-suite bathroom, air-conditioning, phone, and flat screen TV with free Sky channels. The executive rooms also include a mini-bar and ADSL internet socket. The surrounding buildings are also quite tall, so there are no great views, although even the surrounding mish-mash of red-tiled roofs is intriguing.
There are also a number of very smart suites available – some with a small kitchenette – for those that want to be completely independent. These offer all the same facilities, plus a relaxing lounge area and more spacious bathroom.
The only negative point was the lack of parking. There are a number of public car parks which are not too far away, but all but one are quite expensive if you are staying any amount of time. Naturally the free one – about 50 metres away – is hard to find space in. Don’t let that put you off however, as you won’t need your car while you are in Ravenna. All the main sites are easily (and easier) reached on foot, and there is more than enough to keep you occupied during your stay. Trevor Claringbold, Travel Writer